When Magu was appointed as the chairman of EFCC in November 2015, the move was applauded considering the controversy which had overtaken the leadership of the EFCC at the time. The then Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde was accused of corruption and was under investigation by the senate and this was seen as not too decent for a government whose major or cardinal area of focus was anti corruption.
Magu, who is one of the pioneer staff of the agency, soon swung into action breaking barriers in area where it was difficult to fight corruption. On daily basis, arrest of corrupt personalities, prosecution, and recovery of looted funds became the orders of the day like never before. While he was more focused on achieving much, little did he know the enormity of politicking that would surround his confirmation when the need arise. Magu was generally accepted to be doing a good job at the EFCC by Nigerians due the positive news from his performance.
These went on until June 2016 when his name was sent to the senate for confirmation by the presidency. While Nigerians did expect the debate to be swift in confirming Magu as the chairman of EFCC, no word was heard of this until January 2017, when he was eventually invited for the confirmation screening. The senate rejected his nominations in controversial manner, citing an unfavourable report received from the DSS as the reason. This did not go down well with Nigerians and the civil society who frowned at the process adopted for the confirmation screening, which was not in line with the senate set down rules. The presidency was to later ask the Attorney General of the Federation to investigate the report by the DSS against Magu, and in his report to the president, Magu was cleared. It is important to note here that the DG DSS did not make any input into the investigation carried out by the Attorney General of the Federation, before a clean bill of health was issued in favour of Magu.
The presidency in February 2017 resent Magu’s name for confirmation to the senate, citing the clearance by the Attorney General of the federation on the DSS Allegations. The screening did not take place till last week by the senate, which rejected his nominations again, citing an unfavourable report from the DSS on Magu, the previous day. Since then Nigerians of all works of life have expressed their displeasure over the issue. While some believe it is an affront/assault on the president, others believe that it is corruption fighting back.
Many hold the view that Magu is a victim of his good job as most of the people in the senate who are to screen him have been investigated by him. To this group of people, it will be difficult to get Magu’s confirmation through a senate where over 30% of the individuals are under the EFCC radar. On the other hand, some hold the view that the non confirmation of Magu is a direct assault of the president and a blow to his anti corruption crusade. To this group of people the president does not know what to do or how to go about his anti corruption fight.
Judging from all these intrigues, which had played out on the appointment of Magu since 2015, people have been fixated more on the surface rather than go for the real issues. First is, why did it take the president such a long time to present Magu’s name for confirmation when Magu have always be in the EFCC as an in-house staff since inception? Secondly, could it be that the president himself never trusted Magu from the beginning? Thirdly, could it be that the DSS is taking advantage of the window created by the president’s delay and lack of trust for Magu from the beginning, to enter an unwholesome alliance with the Senate to refuse Magu confirmation? Fourthly, is it that Magu have now perform beyond the president’s expectations to continue to insist on him?
Corruption in Nigeria is an institution. To curb corruption therefore, the fight must be institutionalised to give a tough bite to it. Anti corruption fight being one of the focal point of PMB administration should not have experience any sort of trial and error. It should have been a fight with clear cut agenda from the beginning, where those charged with the responsibility of the anti corruption fight should have had their nomenclature in place, thereby bringing confidence and credibility into that office and it’s holder, while at the same time building fears into the general public who should be the target of their duty. There was no reason for the unnecessary delay in sending Magu’s name for confirmation.
Again as it stands today, the issues around Magu’s confirmation is a fight between the president, his men and the Senate. While the president believe only Magu can do the job, his men do not think so. Between the DSS and the Senate there is an unwholesome alliance militating against this process. And one thing that has become worrisome in the whole saga is the inability of the president to call the DG of DSS to order. It is important to make it clear that the Attorney General of the federation’s clearance report on Magu cannot supersede that of the DSS, considering their various functions on national issues. It is curious to see a DG of DSS appointed by the president, who incidentally is his kinsman switch loyalty to the Senate on an issue that is dear to the president’s heart. This is more so when the composition of the Senate, as it stands today, has the ratio of 66 APC senators to 43 PDP senators.
The claim in some quarters that Magu’s clearance is failing due to his grip on some of the senator is lazy and cheap. EFCC is an institution just like the Senate itself. We must de-emphasis the creation of heroes out of national issues, while striving to bring down our institutions. Those insisting that the president should re nominate Magu could be right. But what is more important before such re nominations is done, is for the president to take a strategic step aimed at unravelling or breaking the unwholesome alliance between the senate and DG DSS in this issue. Until this is done re nominating Magu is a waste of time.
It also important to mention here that the issue of Magu’s confirmation is fast depleting the credibility of the office of the chairman of the EFCC as an institution. Therefore, the president must take urgent steps to break this tide.
The days ahead holds so much for the president, as Nigeria await his further action on Magu’s confirmation. One thing is clear, Nigerians are united in the fight against corruption, and much is expected from president Buhari in this regard, especially when Nigerians voted for him due to his anti corruption stand.
Shaka Oyaregba
